Suddenly, the drunken soldier was there, bending over next to Ellian. “Damn, I can’t even tell if that’s his face or his ass but it sure smells like his ass. Hah!” he laughed, turning back to his fellow soldiers. One or two nodded and hooted, while the third took a long drink from a bottle.
“It’s his ass, and you’ve kicked it! Come on, Jarvic. Let’s go. I want to do some more gambling.”
Jarvix stood and leaned heavily on Ellian as he did so, pushing her roughly. Off balance, she plunged into the mud next to the dead man.
“You scum sucking bastard!” she growled, turning and standing as quickly as possible in the muddy, slick pathway. One hand was trying to wipe the mud out of her eyes, but the other clearly held a dagger that glinted in the moonlight. She was also standing far straighter, no longer the shrunken cripple she had appeared to be.
The soldier stopped, turning from where he had been laughing with his friends. He must not have been as far gone as they thought because he spotted the dagger almost immediately. “Oye, she’s got a bite to her? Maybe I’m not done kicking asses tonight.” The slither of metal coming out of a sheath quickly followed suit as the soldier pulled his sword.
The other three soldiers heard as well and turned. Two of them pulled their swords while the third wobbled a bit and squinted as if he couldn’t tell what was going on. Still, the three armed and armored soldiers were enough as they spread out and began to surround Ellian. Fallon joined her with her own dagger though she didn’t like the odds. Even drunk, these men had armor and longer reach.
“When are you filthy vermin going to learn your place?” The first soldier said, his words slurring as he sneered. He playfully swiped his sword toward Ellian, making her move backward. She hissed as one of her feet slipped, making her stumble. The second soldier jumped forward, taking a stab at Ellian as she lost balance but Fallon was there, driving her dagger downwards toward the arm that held the sword. It did no damage, glancing off of the man’s chain mail, but it did keep him from connecting, and he was drunk enough that it pushed his sword deep into the mud as he lost balance.
With some difficulty, the soldier pulled his sword back, and he stared stupidly at the thick mud caked to the tip before he checked his arm where Fallon had struck him. “Dammit!” he growled. “Did she cut me?” He turned and showed his arm to the third soldier. “Did she cut me?”
“Stand back, Blegd,” Said the first soldier. “You’re drunk. Let me handle this bitch.” He squared off against the two women who had wisely backed up to a narrow part of the pathway, making it impossible for more than one man to come at them. Still, the soldier had reach and he began to use it, thrusting forward with his sword in fake stabs, trying to get them to over-commit.
Suddenly, a hissing sound came out of the darkness and both women saw the soldier jerk back, swatting at his face. He stopped and looked at his hand, blinked a few times, and then toppled forward, landing face down in the mud. Two more hissing sounds occurred, and the other two soldiers that had their swords out jerked in surprise. One of the soldiers cried out, spinning and flipping his sword around himself as if swatting at some flying creature but the other stood dumbly as if unsure what to do. A moment later, both followed their comrade down into the mud without another sound.
“What the hell?” Ellian said, turning toward the darkness where the hissing sound had erupted.
Nilesh floated out from the darkness, tucking a small tube back into his clothing. “We have to go now. We’ve already attracted enough attention,” Nilesh said, giving Ellian an angry glare as he quickly walked away before she could respond.
They continued their way through the town, sometimes walking confidently through the night, and other times hiding in the shadows of whatever was closest at hand. Finally, they reached the Tavern that was their destination. It was a more solid structure than anything else in the town, but even so, there were more than a few loose boards and cracks in the construction. Most likely, it was purposefully built this way so as not to stand out too much.
“Okay,” Nilesh said, turning toward Ellian and Fallon. “We’re almost there. Just walk in. There will most likely be watchers so we have to get in quickly. Those soldiers won’t go unnoticed long.”
“Longer than you think,” a voice spoke quietly from above them while three somethings dropped down in the sand at their feet. Ellian couldn’t make out what they were, but Nilesh gasped before holding his hands very still. “The fourth one, however, eluded us before we could clean up your mess.”
“Don’t move,” Nilesh said evenly to Ellian and Fallon.
“Oh, but please do move,” the voice said, contradicting Nilesh. “Toward the tavern and don’t make a move for any of your weapons. You’ll be dead before you can blink, much like those guards.” The voice paused and then continued in an almost friendly voice. “Very nice work, that, by the way. We’ll have to compare notes if you live that long.”
The three companions exchanged glances while Nilesh turned slowly and began to walk toward the tavern. Ellian looked like she wanted to fight, but Fallon shook her head and followed Nilesh. Ellian trailed afterward, gritting her teeth in frustration.
Chapter 26
The interior of the Tavern was dark with only a few lanterns lit in the center of the room. This served to cast a shadow along the walls and corner which masked the number of people who might have been within. It had not been like this when Nilesh had been in here earlier in the evening. Clearly, Fallon’s uncle and compatriots had been alarmed enough at his presence to remove the patrons while they searched the town for him.
“Go ahead and sit in those seats around the central table,” instructed the masked man behind them. “Be sure to keep your hands flat on the table unless you want to die faster.”
They moved to the table and sat, each making sure to do as instructed though Ellian kept looking out of the corner of her eyes, trying to determine where any of their kidnappers might be. The silence lasted for several moments though they could feel eyes studying them from the darkness.
“Why are you here,” a different, angry voice finally spoke, breaking the tension.
Elion and Fallon both looked at Nilesh, but the small man only nodded to Fallon. He dared not gesture for fear his movement were misinterpreted, and he’d receive a dagger in his back. Fallon blinked, realizing Nilesh was correct that she should be the one to speak. Hopefully her uncle was close though she was never comfortable speaking with people she did not know. Still, their lives rested on her action, so she looked around nervously for a second before clearing her throat. “We’re trying to reach my uncle, Riken Marsh. We need to reach the black spire, preferably without dying.”
“And what is your purpose with the black spire,” the voice continued from another part of the room. Clearly, the man was pacing around them, but they could not hear his footfalls. “Surely you know that only death awaits outsiders at the black spire. Only those on the Redpath may approach and live, and you are not known to the Redpath.”
Fallon looked at Ellian for support as she continued. “That is why we came here to talk to my uncle. We were instructed to travel to the black spire. We need to find a guide there but know it is death to approach the black spire. We want to speak to him to determine if it is possible.”
“It is not possible,” the voice continued with a cold finality. “There are no guides at the black spire, at least not any you wish to meet. You have been sent on a fool’s errand. Who instructed you to do this?”
Fallon looked at Elion and Nilesh for support. She was out of her depth and unsure where to go from here. The voice was all seriousness now, and she felt they were closer to death than ever. The last time the voice had spoken it was directly behind Fallon, and her imagination spun tales of daggers pricking at the back of her clothes just waiting for the right time. “I do not know if you will believe me. I barely believe it myself, but we traveled through a gateway and spoke to spirits and ghosts. They told us we needed to tr
avel to the black spire and find our guide for the next step in our journey.”
There was a long pause, and they could hear faint whispers in several corners of the room. Finally, the voice resumed its questions. “Where was this gateway that you say you traversed and what is it you are seeking? Do not lie. Your next words may be your last.”
Nilesh nodded at Fallon’s uncertain gaze encouraging her to speak. Somehow she could sense that Nilesh wanted her to tell the truth and not to lie. “We found the Gateway in Akka as we searched for the Golden bands. There was a great archway supported by two statues and in the center was glowing mist. Upon touching it, we were sucked into a place filled with strange, pale beings. There we encountered the spirit of the deceased Duke, Zekfran Brun, who told us what I am telling you now.”
“Lies, kill them,” the voice said harshly, and they could hear steel sliding out of the sheaths all around them. Elion was the first to move, spinning and reaching for her dagger while Nilesh kicked his chair back and rolled into the darkness. Fallon was not far behind, crouching and pulling her dagger and facing away from Ellian. They knew the light exposed them and hid their enemies but they would not go down without a fight.
Suddenly another voice broke in, loud and harsh and full of command. “Stop, sheath your weapons now.”
Fallon’s eyes widened because she recognized his voice. It was that of her uncle though she had never heard his voice sound so terrifying. Yes, he had always been fearsome and stern, but this was a sight of him she never heard before. She was thankful for it because the sounds of men moving toward them stopped.
Riken Marsh emerged on the edge of the small circle of candlelight holding his hands out to either side of him and glaring into the darkness. He was a tall, powerfully built man with shades of gray streaking along the black of the close-cropped hair on his head. “Stop! They are not lying. They have traveled the paths of the dead, for no one else could’ve described the High Ones.” Fallon’s uncle turned his stern gaze back to Ellian and Fallon. “Tell your friend to come out of the darkness. I give him my word of safe passage. We need to speak further, but know you are no longer in danger from us.”
At his words, Nilesh crept from the darkness with his hands held high. He was looking around himself nervously as he made his way back to his seat, righting it before sitting once again. Ellian and Fallon followed suit, with Riken taking the last seat.
“Fetch us food, salt, and drink,” Riken said as his eyes settled on Fallon. He did not speak while he waited patiently for two figures to approach, placing a plate of sliced meat, a small bowl of salt, and several cups with a flask of water.
“Uncle, I…” Fallon began, but her uncle held his hands up, silencing her. He began to pour the water into the cups though before he could begin the second, a dagger flashed out of the darkness and struck the first cup, sending it scattering to the floor.
“I protest!” said the harsh voice that had first spoken to them. “You will not give them the honor of protection! They lie! No one has seen the High Ones for generations!”
Riken sat unmoving for several moments before turning his head slightly. “You forget yourself, Kralt,” he said in a harsh, unforgiving voice. “You spoke of the Redpath to outsiders, expecting to kill them before we even learned their purpose. You gave me no choice but to offer them protection because if they speak truth, they need to be taken to the Spire.”
“How can you be sure? They could’ve gotten this description from books or stories. They could’ve pulled the name of Akka out of the air through luck.”
Slowly Riken stood. “There is only one way you may carry out your wishes, Kralt. Do you choose that path?”
There was a long silence until finally it was broken by one word. “No,” the voice that belonged to Kralt said, defeat clear in his voice.
Riken nodded once. “Then go scout out the soldier’s camp. I wish to know if that fourth guard has returned. If not, find him and kill him. Dispose of the body in the usual way.”
They did not hear the figure leave though after a few moments Riken retrieved the spilled cup and refilled it, then finished the others. He held one of the cups into the air and nodded at the three of them to take the others. Once they had done so, he sipped his drink, then picked up a small bit of meat and placed some salt on it before eating in a slow, deliberate way.
Nilesh and Fallon followed suit, but Ellian eyed the meat suspiciously. Nilesh glared at her, kicking her foot under the table before shaking his head and emphasizing his chewing. The message was clear. Eat it now no matter what it is. With a slight grimace, Ellian put the meat and salt into her mouth and chewed.
“Do not worry, it is not the best of meat, but it is not human,” Riken said with a slight smile. “My people are better hunters than most of the locals here, as you can imagine.”
Ellian continued to chew with a profound sense of relief while Fallon leaned forward. “Uncle, what was all this all for? Didn’t you recognize me?”
Riken nodded and looked grim. “Yes, I did recognize you, but things are dangerous, Fallon. We were preparing to leave tomorrow morning for the Spire. The Occulate Raun has made the City Lords crazy, and they kill indiscriminately. Not only is this town about to fracture, but the soldiers of Count Stavix and this allies run around like mad beasts killing anyone they find wandering the waists. This town was only spared because of their knowledge it is a contact point with the Spire. When we saw your friend here sneak in, we thought perhaps they had gone truly mad and were attempting to attack us directly.
“I know our story sounds even crazier, but do you think the Spire will help us?” Ellian broke in, looking sternly into Riken’s face. “We did not lie about what has happened to us. Three days passed while we wasted an hour in that strange place talking to the dead.”
“In truth, you will probably be killed the moment we get to the spire if you come with us,” Riken said without preamble. “However, one of Father’s sages speaks of dreams he has had. That strangers will come to the gates, and the Spire will be broken while we still welcome them with open arms or suffer complete annihilation. Most put it down to prattling and madness, but this strikes too close to these dreams for my liking.” Fallon’s uncle leaned forward. “We will fetch your friends in the morning before we leave. I don’t want to bring your mounts anywhere close to these half-starved idiots.”
Ellian’s eyes narrowed. “What friends are you speaking of?”
“Come now,” Riken smirked coldly. “Your sneaky little friend snuck off somewhere the first time and came back with two others. I’m sure there are more of you as you would have had to leave someone to watch your mounts. There’s no way you traveled this far on foot. There is no need for lies if you wish to live long enough to find this guide. If I don’t miss my guess, one of them will be your brother, Ashrak.”
Ellie was startled, and her hand instinctively went for her dagger though she stopped herself before she drew it. “How did you…?”
“Your disguise is not well enough to hide your true self from me, or at least close enough for me to guess. You seek the Golden bands, and there is only one group of seekers small enough that would fit your description, Ellian Brun. Also, it is known you travel with my niece.” The older man shrugged. “With all of these particular pieces at my disposal, it was not hard to put together though for anyone else they would not see through your disguise.”
Ellian continued to look suspiciously at Fallon’s uncle but finally nodded in acceptance. There was no choice. This man knew too many of their secrets, and besides, they needed his help.
“Now, since I’ve rousted out all of the locals there are plenty of beds to sleep. It might be wise for us to rest. It will be an early morning for us all.”
Chapter 27
Ashrak was sleeping soundly when a hand gently shook him. As he opened his eyes he looked up into the face of his love, Chari, backlit by the new dawn of the sky behind her. She held a finger up to her lips before leaning back
and letting him rouse himself from under the blankets they shared. “What’s wrong,” Ashrak asked quietly as he sat up.
“Soldiers,” Daka said from their vantage point overlooking the town. “Lots of them.” He turned with a worried look on this face. “They came in just before dawn and surrounded the town. Then they moved in and started taking everyone prisoner.”
Ashrak scrabbled over to where Daka was standing and stood, peeking up over the small rock outcropping at the distant town. “By the seven circles,” He whispered in distress. Where did they all come from?”
There were easily a thousand men spread out over the ground around and through the town along with enough wagons and supplies to support them for many weeks. Small groups were pitching tents in a field removed from the town itself, but most continued around the town and marched to the East. Even as he watched, slower caravans were still rumbling up the road toward the collection of shacks and tents, some having already been pulled down to make way for the large wagons. Men, women and even children were gathered and escorted under guard in the other direction away from the town to holding pens on the edge of the burgeoning camp. They could also see several piles of those that had resisted gathered in areas that were not being used by the army, butchered like animals.
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